Where are they now? Roger Powell

CHAMPAIGN — It's late May, and the phone rings. Roger Powell, a starting forward on the Illinois basketball team that reached the Final Four in 2005, is on the other end from Germany.

His professional team in Frankfurt is one game away from the finals, and Powell had never finished the season as a champion. A week later, his season is done, and Powell looked toward the future.

Like so many former Illini basketball players, they want to stay close to the game where they found stardom. Powell wants to coach with Christian values. He said that's the best way for him to minister to young men.

“There are a lot of Christian coaches out there, a lot of guys who have good character,” Powell said.

He’s read books by Tony Dungy and John Wooden. He appreciates the example set by former Valparaiso coach Homer Drew. After working as a mentor during the offseason, Powell now plans to step into the world of coaching when his playing career is done.

That might be soon. He plays now with a mask to protect his face after twice suffering head injuries. In late 2009, Powell returned home early from France after suffering broken facial bones.

Powell played briefly with the Utah Jazz and spent preseason training camp twice with the Chicago Bulls. The other highlight to his career, he said, was playing in Jerusalem.

But he’s thinking about returning to the U.S. and searching for a coaching job in the Midwest. Powell's RPJ Ministries ran basketball camps by mixing hoops and a Christian foundation during summer months in recent years.

“I want to put some feelers out there and see what opportunities there are to get into coaching,” he said.

Powell and his wife, Tara, have a daughter, Bria, who is 9 months.

John Supinie can be reached at Johnsupinie@aol.com. Follow him on Twitter @JohnSupinie.